The Nation

Talks between the United Auto Workers and Ford Motor Co. continued amid evidence that an agreement could be reached before their three-year contract, which covers 104,000 hourly workers, expires at midnight Monday. Sources said UAW President Owen Bieber summoned the union's 23-member executive board for a meeting today, and that the union's 200-member Ford national council convened near the Ford headquarters in Dearborn, Mich., where the talks are being held. Any tentative agreement must be approved by the board and council before being ratified by Ford's hourly workers. The negotiations had reportedly stalled over the union's top priority of job security.